The Sogard Experience

[Jopal78]

One would have to assume the 2020 Sogard Experience is nearing the end of the line. They should be playing Urias in front of Sogard as a left handed infielder. They also like Mathias and while he’s been used exclusively in the outfield, he’s also a lefty and had played over 100 games at 3B in the minors. You can argue that when they want to stack their lineup with lefties Mathias should play in front of Sogard if for no other reason to see if there’s any upside there.

 

All of this basically leaves a left handed pinch hitter/defensive replacement, and here they have the equally inept Jace Peterson.

 

They dropped Sogard the last time after 110 at bats or so in a playoff hunt, with 2 extra base hits all year, and with 4 walks, 14 strike outs and only ten hits this month, perhaps the end is finally coming

[wntrtxn21]

One would have to assume the 2020 Sogard Experience is nearing the end of the line. They should be playing Urias in front of Sogard as a left handed infielder. They also like Mathias and while he’s been used exclusively in the outfield, he’s also a lefty and had played over 100 games at 3B in the minors. You can argue that when they want to stack their lineup with lefties Mathias should play in front of Sogard if for no other reason to see if there’s any upside there.

 

All of this basically leaves a left handed pinch hitter/defensive replacement, and here they have the equally inept Jace Peterson.

 

They dropped Sogard the last time after 110 at bats or so in a playoff hunt, with 2 extra base hits all year, and with 4 walks, 14 strike outs and only ten hits this month, perhaps the end is finally coming

 

While I concur that Sogard phase 2 has been another failure in the great 2020 journeyman experiment, both Urias and Mathias bat right. Peterson is a lefty, but his past history suggests that he would be worse than Sogard. If CC wants to continue the lefty vs righty starter project, there is nothing else besides Sogard.

[djoctagone]

The Sogard Experience

is this being installed in miller park next to the selig experience?

[Eye Black]

Sogard has an elite ability to make contact, but unfortunately it’s paired with little ability to make hard contact as well as being in the bottom quarter of the league in speed.

 

If he could make slightly harder contact and was in the top quartile of speed he might be David Fletcher, but alas he can’t and he isn’t.

[TURBO]

He will be here all season, watch and see...

[CheeseheadInQC]

I guess the one plus is that for a contact hitter he has been bizarrely streaky the past few years, so maybe we get a hot streak before the abbreviated season ends. I'm not saying he's going to end up having a good year, but there is at least some measure of hope it won't be as bad as it looks now.

[brewmann04]

This really needs to end nice guy but they need to move on question is who next?

[3and2Fastball]

When Sogard was signed there was some talk of him playing the role of backup and gritty veteran pinch hitter off the bench. I like him in that role. He has a high contact rate and in clutch situations late in games he has value as a PH.

 

However, I thought that Counsell would see Sogard as a starter and would play him too much. Urias being unavailable at the start of the season exasperated that situation, of course.

 

I still like Sogard as a pinch hitter if we can make the playoffs. Assuming Braun is starting most playoff games, I can think of no one else on the roster I’d rather have taking that vital pinch hit at bat in the 9th inning when we need somebody to make contact, move a guy over, drive in a run etc

 

I still think the problem is Counsell. He’d look at Urias, Arcia, & to a lesser degree Hiura and decide that he wants Sogard and Holt to start. I’m always cautious about Counsell giving too much playing time to players that remind him of himself.

[pacopete4]

Sogard as depth? Fine. Sogard starting 80% of games? No thank you.

 

Should have just kept Villar and had an actual player.

[JohnBriggs12]

Sogard slugged .457 last year for Jays and Rays. What happened to that guy? I though he had found something? He's "slugging" .203 this year. That's worse than pitcher's type production. Maybe Brewers need to change their name to Days or Ways?

 

He needs to attack some of those meatball first pitch fastballs he's been taking all year. The other day, he took a third strike on a fastball right down the middle.

[brewers888]

How juiced was that baseball last year for Sogard to slug .457. Was there anyone besides Stearns and Counsell that thought this was a good signing.

[pacopete4]

Yes but for depth, not to start. Depth he’s fine. Pinch hitting, filling injuries, etc.

[stoutdude04]

How juiced was that baseball last year for Sogard to slug .457. Was there anyone besides Stearns and Counsell that thought this was a good signing.

 

I was saying this all last year and this year. Part of why I thought guys like Guerra and Jeffress would have a bounce back year. I certainly think something was up with the balls.

[sveumrules]

Sogard slugged .457 last year for Jays and Rays. What happened to that guy? I though he had found something? He's "slugging" .203 this year. That's worse than pitcher's type production. Maybe Brewers need to change their name to Days or Ways?

 

He needs to attack some of those meatball first pitch fastballs he's been taking all year. The other day, he took a third strike on a fastball right down the middle.

 

Sogard has a 45 wRC+. The last year pitchers hit for a 45 wRC+ as a group was 1904. In 2019 pitchers hit for a -19 wRC+, with only 11 pitchers topping both 20 PAs & a 45 wRC+. Sogard has certainly been bad so far, but the numbers don't really support him being worse than pitcher type production.

 

How juiced was that baseball last year for Sogard to slug .457. Was there anyone besides Stearns and Counsell that thought this was a good signing.

 

I thought it was a perfectly cromulent signing.

 

If he hits like 2019, it is a bargain. If he hit to his projections, it is even money.

 

Even with him not hitting to his projections yet, I still wouldn't classify it as bad because it has done nothing to hinder future moves as a low money one year deal.

 

The only way it could really be bad is if he came down with C19 & infected the whole team or like collided with Yelich chasing a blooper or something.

[AKCheesehead]

Yeah, to me the success of that signing was entirely dependent on the ball staying juiced. I can't imagine DS was actually not aware of that, so...was he taking a gamble on the baseball itself? I must be missing something.

[sauveb]

For the life of me, I can't understand why Sogard hasn't tried bunting against the shift. He seems to do the other "little" things well so I can't believe that he doesn't have the skill.

[adambr2]

The Sogard Experience

is this being installed in miller park next to the selig experience?

 

Yes, but I don't expect it to be very popular. You walk through and a nerdy looking man swipes a few dollars from your wallet and gives you nothing. Then you have to walk back through and he does the same thing.

[PeaveyFury]

The Sogard Experience

is this being installed in miller park next to the selig experience?

 

Yes, but I don't expect it to be very popular.

 

And that's different from the Selig experience?

[Devinep]

For the life of me, I can't understand why Sogard hasn't tried bunting against the shift. He seems to do the other "little" things well so I can't believe that he doesn't have the skill.

 

Because swinging away has worked so well

[RollieTime]

Please tell me I am not the only one that says “wow Sogard got all of that one” or something of the like any time he hits a ball about 300 feet.

[Jopal78]

Sub .500 OPS this year and a nifty .638 OPS as a Brewer ‘17-‘20. His career OPS is .650 meaning including his hot streak in 2017 he has under performed his career numbers as a Brewer.

[SomewhereInTime]

Lock this stupid thread! Sogard is a hero!

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Lock this stupid thread! Sogard is a hero!

 

I mean, between tonight, and keeping Maeda from throwing a no-no a couple weeks ago, Sogard has had about as much of an impact I gut with a sub-.500 OPS could possibly have.

[Underachiever]

If you are supposed to trade a player at his highest point...Sogard for Lux is imminent.

[Oxy]

Lock this stupid thread! Sogard is a hero!

 

I mean, between tonight, and keeping Maeda from throwing a no-no a couple weeks ago, Sogard has had about as much of an impact I gut with a sub-.500 OPS could possibly have.

 

He hit a game winner in extras in Pittsburgh too. I'm no Sogard apologist, but he's a fine bench player. I thought Brock Holt had the better pedigree/history, but obviously the organization sees otherwise (unless Holt wanted to go home...)